Bomb shackle



De 9, 9 0 G. w. WARDWELL, JR

BOMB SHACKLE Filed Sept. 2, 1949 INVENTOR. GEORGE W. WARDWELL JI:

f0 @flM'M Patented Dec. 19, 1950 2,534,745 BQMB SHACKLE George 'W. Wardwell, Jr., Trumbull, Conn., as-

sfgnor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application September 2,1949, Serial No. 1133847 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to release mechanisms and more particularly to a new and improved bomb shackle for-use on aircraft.

In the manufacture of bomb shackles it is important to provide a structure which will be light in weight, will securely support a heavy bomb in spite of rough flying conditions and relatively large inertia forces, and yet will positively and immediately release the bombupon actuation of the release mechanism. It is also of importance that the shackle permit rapid loading in the field without requiring special tools or machinery.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bomb release device which has great simplicity and which will quickly release a bomb irrespective of the position of the aircraft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shackle which can be quickly recocked when another bomb is to be loaded.

A further object is the provision of a bomb shackle of simple construction which hasasingle operating means which may be actuated both to release a bomb and to recock the shackle when another bomb is to be engaged.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a safe, positive releasable locking meansifor a bomb shackle that will efiectively retain it in bomb holding position yet requires but slight exertion to trip the mechanism and release the bomb.

Other objects and their attendant advantages will become apparent from the following description and attached drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one embodiment of the present invention with the parts in unlocked or released position; and

Fig. 2 is a change position view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in locked position.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings there is provided a frame 1 of sheet material and comprising a pair of spaced elongated side plates 8 and 9 which may be interconnected at their tops by a horizontal web If), at one end by a vertical web H, and at their lower edges by a bottom web l2 essentially as shown.

At the ends of the frame are located hangers yoked at their lower ends 13 and ii to embrace the exterior of the frame and be welded or otherwise secured thereto. of the hangers may be transversely bifurcated at !5 so as to receive the usual bomb rack mounting members (not shown) affixed to the plane. The notches [5 are bridged by short horizontal pins i6 mounted between spaced vertical webs I! The upper part of each =1 located within the hollow portion of the hangers as shown.

Between the plates 8 and 9 are located a pair of bomb supporting hooks [-8 and i9 which are pivot/ally disposed at opposite ends of the shackle on hook pivot pins .20 and 2| secured through the plates and the lower ends l3 and Id of the hangers. The hooks in the locked position of Fig. 2 sufliciently close the entrance of openings I3 and M to support bomb eyes 22 or other suitable members which are attached to the bomb.

In a suitable slot in an extended rear portion of the hook is there is pivoted on a link pin 23 one end of an elongated operating link 24, the other end of which link is connected by'means of a link pin 25 to a toggle plate assembly 26 pivoted centrally in the frame on a link pin 21. The toggle plate assembly 23 may comprise a pair of matching plates spaced to receive :the narrowed end'of the link 24 as shown. In asuitable slot on the upper end of the hook l9 and at a distance from its fixed pivot 2i equal to the distance between the hook pivot 28 and link pin 23 of the hook I8 there is pivoted on a link pin 23 the end of a second operating link arm 29, the other end of which is pivoted b means of link pin iii to the toggle plate assembly 26, link pin 32 being located opposite link pin 25.

Link pins 23 and 2 8 are so disposed relative to the hook pivots 20 and 2| respectively that when the link arms are moved to open or-close the hooks I8 and 19, the link pin 23 will describe an are below thelhook pivot 29 and the link pin will describe an are above the hook-pivot 2!. Hence, it will be apparent that turning movement of the toggle plate 28 will simultaneously move the link arms 24 and 22 in opposite directions and, furthermore, movement of the toggle plate in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1 has the efifect of moving the hooks to the closed or bomb supporting position of Fig. 2.

Releasable means for closing and locking the hooks in bomb supporting position is provided and this means will now be described. Freely mounted on pin 2! between the plates of toggle assembly 26 is a trip lever S! which when moved in a clockwise direction in Fig. l, engages toggle plate spacer pins 32 and 33 to case the spaced toggle plates to rotate and the links and their hooks to move the bomb supporting position of Fig. 2. To retain the toggle plates in rotated position a shoulder 3 on the toggle plate is engaged by a spring pressed toggle plate detent arm 36 which carries a roller 35. This arm is pivoted 3 on a detent pin 31 and is biased upwardly by means of a detent spring 38.

It should be noted here that the weight of the bombs hanging on the closed hooks will tend to compress the links however movement of the links is prevented by the substantially straight line positioning of the links with respect to the center pivot 27 of the toggle plate. It will be apparent that in the secured position there is some but not much rotative torque applied against the toggle plate detent 36, and most of this is preferably furnished by the tension of a toggle spring 39.

Lever 3! is provided with a toe 40 extending slightly below the lower surface of the toggle plates 26 and having an inclined cam surface 4| such that when the lever is moved in a counterclockwise direction the cam surface 3| acts on the detent roller 35 to force the detent arm 36 downwardly to move the detent roller clear of the shoulder 34.

When the detent arm 33 has been thus disengaged the torque exerted on the toggle plate 26 by the toggle spring 39, in combination with the force exerted on the toggle by the weight of the bomb hanging on the hooks I 8 and I9, acts to move the link arms 2 and 29 toward each other and cause the hooks to open so as to drop the bomb. To cushion and limit the movement of the link arms when the bomb is released suitable limit pins d3 encased in a casing of rubber or 1-.

other compressible material may be mounted between the plates 3 and 8 so as to be engaged by the sides of link arms 2 and 29 as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that with the above-described arrangement a light pressure will sufiice to operate the trip lever and free the toggle from its detent.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that numerous modifications or alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bomb shackl comprising a frame, a pair of bomb supporting hooks pivotally supported on the frame for movement between opened and closed positions, a link arm connected to one of the hooks below its pivot point, a second link arm connected to the other hook above its pivot point, toggle means interconnecting both link arms for moving them in unison in opposite directions to simultaneously move the hooks to opened or closed position, an operating lever mounted for oscillatory movement adjacent the toggle, and stops positioned in the path of oscillation to engage the toggle at the end of each oscillation and operate the toggle.

2. A bomb shackle comprising a frame, a pair of bomb supporting hooks pivotally supported on the frame for movement between opened and closed positions, a link arm connected to one of the hooks, a second link arm connected to the other hook, toggle means interconnecting both link arms for moving them in unison to simultaneously move the hooks to opened or closed position, an operating lever mounted for oscillatory movement adjacent the toggle, stops engageable at each limit of oscillation to engage the toggle to move it, detent means to retain the toggle in closed position, and an extension on the operating lever for engagement with the detent to disengage the detent before the toggle is tripped.

3. A bomb shackle comprising a frame, a pair of bomb supporting hooks pivotally supported on the frame for movement between opened and closed positions, link arms connected to the hooks for moving them to opened and close positions, camming means interconnecting the link arms for moving them in unison to simultaneously move the hooks to opened or closed position, an operating lever mounted for oscillatory movement adjacent the camming surface, and detent means to prevent opening of the hooks, said detent being releasable by initial movement of the lever.

. 4. A bomb shackle comprising a frame, a pair of hooks pivoted in the frame at opposite ends thereof, a link arm connected to each of the hooks one link arm being connected below the pivot point of one hook and the other link arm being connected above the pivot point of the other hook, toggle means supported in the frame and interconnecting thefree ends of each of said link arms, an operating lever adjacent the toggle and linked thereto to move the link arms simultaneously in opposite directions, a detent engageable with said toggle, means for resiliently biasing the toggle toward a bomb release position, and a toe on the operating lever engageable with the detent when the operating lever is moved in a bomb releasing direction whereby the detent is freed before the toggle is released.

GEORGE W. WARDWELL, JR.

file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 29, 1946 Number 

